Author Stephen King has reportedly become the most banned writer in American school libraries. This stems from concerns among administrators that many of his works contain excessive sexual content and adult themes.
This finding is part of a report by Penn America, highlighting the most banned books in the U.S., released recently.
The analysis indicated that a significant portion—about 80%—of the bans originated from just three states: Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. Interestingly, overall bans have decreased since the peak of the 2023-24 academic year. In contrast, some stronger Democratic states, such as Illinois, Maryland, and New Jersey, have reported far fewer ban requests, thanks in part to laws that restrict such actions.
Reasons cited for removing books from school libraries include LGBTQ+ themes, sexual violence, racial issues, and violence in general.
“It’s a story of two different countries,” noted Casey Meehan, director of Penn’s freedom program. “This isn’t simply a matter of red versus blue. Even in Florida, not every school district has complied with calls to ban books. There can be significant variation from one county to another.”
King’s works faced censorship 206 times, surpassing most other authors. Titles such as “Carrie” and “The Stand” were among those removed from school collections. Other frequently banned titles include “A Clockwork Orange,” “Sold” by Patricia McCormick, “Forever” by Judy Blume, and “Breathing” by Jennifer Niven.
The outspoken author responded to the news by encouraging readers to consider picking up some of his works that are on the ban list.
Meehan elaborated on the situation regarding King’s books.
“His titles are often removed when other books labeled as ‘adult’ or containing ‘sexual content’ come under scrutiny. The bans mainly target LGBTQ+ materials and racial themes, but they also impact Stephen King’s works,” Meehan explained. “Some districts might be overly cautious or fear repercussions, leading them to broadly eliminate access to titles like King’s.”
Nonetheless, some critics argue that Penn America has exaggerated the number of bans. A similar tally from the American Library Association, for instance, indicates fewer instances, focusing only on permanent bans rather than those that are temporary or momentary.
